Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent delays in vital medical treatments
Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent delays in vital medical treatments
The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in over a decade, posing a concerning risk to patient care. Doctors have been forced to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available. Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital medical treatments. Please schedule your blood donation today.
What is causing the blood shortage crisis?
At a time when many businesses and organizations across the country are experiencing pandemic challenges, the Red Cross is no different. We are all learning how to live in this new environment, how we spend our time, where we work, how we give back, how we make a difference in the lives of others – donating blood must continue to be part of it.
Supply of critical blood types
The Red Cross, which supplies 40% of the nation’s blood supply, has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals as a result of the shortage. In fact, some hospitals may not receive 1 in 4 blood products they need.
Blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled and can only be made available through the kindness of volunteer donors. Less than a one-day supply of critical blood types in recent weeks.
Please consider booking additional appointments further out due to the fact that while availability of drives may be impacted, the need for blood remains constant.
While these may be the most needed blood types, right now all blood types are urgently needed to help end the blood crisis.
Type O positive is the most transfused blood type and can be transfused to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. 38% of the population has O positive blood, making it the most common blood type.
Type O negative is the universal blood type and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations.
Platelets are the clotting portion of blood, which must be transfused within five days of donation. Nearly half of all platelet donations are given to patients undergoing cancer treatments.
As a special thank-you for helping to meet the immediate need for blood and platelets during this blood crisis, the Red Cross has teamed up with the NFL to offer one lucky winner an exciting 2022 Super Bowl LVI getaway to Los Angeles and the opportunity to experience the first Super Bowl in SoFi Stadium.